Last night we said goodbye to one of our most cherished elders: Daisy, who lived to an astounding sixteen years old. Even in her final days she was a joyful, calming presence for all of us here at Mission: Wolf. Thank you to everyone who helped to care for her over her long, illustrious time here and send your howls of gratitude that this lady lived such a lengthy and adventurous life!

Hello friends and supporters of Mission: Wolf! We are so grateful to announce that the Spring Creek fire is increasingly under control (over 90% contained), and we have been removed from pre-evacuation notice. THANK YOU for all of your support during this challenging time!

This means we are opening our doors again to the public, although the intense heat of this summer has changed our scheduling and ability to accommodate drop-in visitors. The hot and dry weather makes the wolves lethargic and reclusive for most of the daytime hours. Feeding and behavioral sessions will be planned around the weather and what makes the wolves most comfortable. All summer visitors need to be prepared for extreme heat, unpredictable schedules, and lazy wolves.

Though we have seen a sharp increase in the amount of visitor traffic and corresponding public needs, we are still first and foremost a peaceful sanctuary for the wolves. We are an extremely rural facility with few amenities – we are equipped simply to provide an educational experience. If you would like to undertake the adventure to find us and come learn from our staff, we would love to give you a tour. All visitors and overnight campers: Please respect the rules and be mindful of your impact on the dry, desert landscape and on the wolves who live here. Huerfano County is under a Stage 2 fire ban and is discouraging camping in certain areas to mitigate the risk of future human-caused fires. Young children (age 7 and under) and large groups (10+) are discouraged. Please contact us at info@missionwolf.org or 719-859-2157 with any questions. Thank you for your understanding and support!

We wanted to reach out and thank all of our supporters for donating to the sanctuary during a difficult and stressful time for us; we also wanted to update you on our status in relation to the Spring Creek Wildfire.

The fire began on June 27, and was human caused. It is still active and has consumed nearly 108,000 acres of land, making it the third largest wildfire in Colorado’s history. At its height, the fire was a short distance south of the sanctuary, posing a significant threat to the wolves. We had a few days of impaired air quality as the smoke drifted through our area. We were placed on pre-evacuation notice by the Huerfano County Sheriff on July 3. Although we are still on pre-evacuation notice at this time, the fire is gradually being contained thanks to the hard work and bravery of local firefighters and emergency services. The fire is now 83% contained overall. We anticipate that the pre-evacuation notice for our area will be lifted soon, and that we will not have to evacuate any animals from the sanctuary grounds.

We nonetheless have taken many precautions in preparation for not only the Spring Creek Wildfire, but also for any other potential wildfires that may threaten us during the extremely dry conditions that the Wet Mountain Valley is experiencing. Mission: Wolf has spent several thousand dollars on hoses, sprinkler systems, weed whackers, pumps and generators, tranquilizer drugs for our most feral animals, and even an old municipal water truck. Donations have helped us enormously in covering some of these costs, and we are truly grateful to all of our supporters for helping us keep the resident wolves safe in the event of an evacuation. Further donations will go toward protecting the sanctuary, wolves, and staff for years to come as we face future dry seasons and wildfires.

Our community has been under great duress in the past few weeks, but these dire circumstances have only brought us closer together. Thanks to your continued support, Mission: Wolf is standing stronger than ever. We hope to re-open to the public soon, so that you can all come out to hear our howls of gratitude.

-The Wolves, Staff, and Community of M:W

As of July 5th, 2018—

Our internet phones are down. We are able to use limited cellular data, please direct all contact to our email at info@missionwolf.org. Phone calls will not go through. Thank you!

As of July 4th, 2018—

Mission: Wolf is currently closed to the general public due to the nearby Spring Creek wildfire. The refuge and surrounding area is under pre-evacuation notice. While the fire is still far enough away that it does not yet pose immediate danger to the wolves, staff, or visitors, we are focusing our resources on preparing for a potential evacuation.

There are multiple road closures surrounding Mission: Wolf, so travel in and out of the refuge may be affected. Please refer to Huerfano County Emergency Services for updates and information regarding the Spring Creek fire. You can also view a current map of the fire here.

To all scheduled visitors and groups: while still under pre-evacuation, we will try to accommodate folks who have already scheduled a visit with us. Be aware of highway and road closures before traveling our direction. Please contact us at 719-859-2157 if you have questions, concerns, or want to reschedule your visit. Anyone who comes out needs to be completely self-sufficient and prepared to transport themselves out of here safely.

For all interested supporters and volunteers: Mission: Wolf is in need of skilled volunteers to help with the transfer of animals, archives, and supplies. If we receive a mandatory evacuation notice, we will need a list of phone numbers for supporters that can drop at a moment’s notice to help with our immediate needs, which will include:

Locals with reliable trucks and trailers to help us load, haul, and unload supplies

500+ gallon water tanks, water pumps, and portable generators to run water pumps

Donations of staple, non-perishable foods for staff

Donations of frozen, packaged meat for the wolves (no pork or pre-spiced meat)

Cases of water for staff and animals

Please call us at 719-859-2157 or email us at info@missionwolf.org if you can offer any of the above services in the event of an evacuation. Materials can be shipped Ground Delivery or dropped off at 80 Sheep Creek Road, Westcliffe, CO 81252.

If you would like to support our fire mitigation and evacuation costs, you can donate here.

Thank you for being a part of the Mission: Wolf family and send rainy thoughts our way!